Prototype Tim Mills' Photos

[Heather Kay]

It always jolts a bit to see the smart new BR livery being hauled by a careworn steam engine.

Interesting detail on the freight train, where the top lamp bracket has been resited lower on the smokebox door for OHLE safety reasons.

 

[daifly]

Interesting detail on the freight train, where the top lamp bracket has been resited lower on the smokebox door for OHLE safety reasons.

As it also has on the passenger train loco 45187!

Dave

 

[oldravendale]

More to come when I get back. I'm leaving now for the golden sands of Wigan and the famous pier of many delights.

 

[Osgood]

Well - if the pier still looks anything like the early view in this book, good luck with that!

Lightmoor Press Books - Wigan Pier : The facts and fictions of an enduring Music Hall joke

Also please, check the rock - a friend showed me a stick he'd just brought back from Devon and it was - made in China.

 

[oldravendale]

Thank you for your thoughts, Heather @Heather Kay , Personally I really disliked the new livery but it certainly jarred against the steam scene. The change to the lamp iron position became quite common as a safety measure and thanks for noting it in the second photo, Dave @daifly .

Two photos here (img594 and 596 - actually 596 should come before 594) of Britannia 70031 Byron believed to be on Shap. It moved around a fair bit in it’s final years (I saw it at Willesden). In September 1961 it went to Aston, Willesden in April/May 1963, Crewe North In December 1964/January 1965, Crewe South in May/June and Carlisle Upperby in July/August the same year then Carlisle Kingmoor in December 1966. Withdrawal came from Speke Junction in November 1967. (SLS). However it’s possible that withdrawal was actually from Carlisle Kingmoor (RO) where it’s advised that the loco was stored at Kingmoor where it was seen on 27th January 1968. It was scrapped at J McWilliams, Shettleston, on 7th March 1968. (BR Database).





On Shap is Black 5 44905 in the mid 1960s. It was allocated to Carnforth for a long while - from September 1959 where it was withdrawn in November/December 1967. It went to Draper’s, Hull where it was scrapped on 5th February 1968 (RO). BR Database agrees with the month of disposal.



Brian

 

[oldravendale]

There are a few photos here which fall under the general term of “arty” but impressive even though the details about the locos are sketchy.

The first two here (img598 and 602) are at Tebay in the mid 1960s - note the water troughs. The first (img598) is an unidentified Britannia and the second (img602) a 9F 2-10-0 on a tanker train which has the date of July 1966 attributed to it. This date probably applies to the Britannia photo too..





Another unidentified Britannia and believed to be on Shap in the mid 1960s, probably July 1966.



Although at a considerable distance this is believed to be yet another Britannia on Shap in the mid 1960s, again probably July 1966.



Brian

 

[daifly]

A brave man standing in the ‘splash zone’!
Dave

 

[David B]

The last photo looks to be in the Lune Gorge, with the train heading (I think) southbound, I.e. after descending Shap. For anyone who hasn’t tried it, I recommend a trip south from Shap summit and through the Gorge in a Pendolino at 125 mph with full tilt in operation. It feels like swooping like a hawk through the fells, and is one heck of a tribute to the people who created such a fabulous piece of railway. I’d swap it any day though for a careworn Britannia, rods clanking and chime whistle echoing around the hills.